The present invention relates to computer networks and, more specifically, to dynamic port type detection in a computer network.
Ethernet networks are typically employed in local area networks (LANs) that include a plurality of network switches. A number of communication protocols have been developed and continue to evolve to enhance Ethernet network performance for various environments. For example, an enhancement to Ethernet, called data center bridging (DCB), converged enhanced Ethernet (CEE) or data center Ethernet (DCE), supports the convergence of LANs with storage area networks (SANs). Other protocols that can be used in a data center environment in conjunction with Ethernet include, for instance, Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE), Internet Wide Area Remote direct memory access Protocol (iWARP), Remote direct memory access over Converged Ethernet (RoCE).
Ports in contemporary network switches can auto-detect link data rates, assuming predefined protocol capabilities for each port. For example, data rate auto-detection as used in Ethernet involves determining the highest permitted data rate for the link and then adjusting port transmission rate accordingly. For data rate auto-detection to work properly, both ends of the link must recognize a request for maximum data rate capability and provide a response compatible with a predefined Ethernet protocol (e.g., a request/response protocol). However, this approach breaks down when multiple protocols are involved, as data rate auto-detection is typically protocol specific with assumed predefined protocol capabilities per port. Incorrect port attachments when integrating multiple protocols may not be detected by contemporary network switches, which can result in configuration errors that are difficult to isolate.